NEW DELHI: Prominent Muslim organisation Jamiat Ulama-I-Hind on Wednesday asserted that Babri Masjid had always been a mosque and “will remain so till qayamat ( end of times)."
JuH president Maulana Arshad Madani exuded confidence that the Supreme Court verdict in the Ayodhya dispute case will be based on “facts and evidence” and not faith.
He, however, stressed that the SC verdict will be acceptable to all and made an appeal to Muslims to abide by the ruling, irrespective of its nature.
Three hours ahead of his meeting with RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, Madani addressed a press conference on a wide range of issues, including NRC and lynching, besides the Ayodhya title suit.
He stressed that Muslims’ claim in the Ayodhya case was based on historical facts and evidence that the Babri Masjid was constructed without demolishing any temple.
“The Supreme Court is not the place for ‘aastha’ (faith). It is the place of ‘kanoon’ (law).Every justice-loving person wants the case to be adjudicated on the basis of hard facts and evidence and not on the basis of faith and belief,” Madani said.
Madani also highlighted JuH’s role in pushing the case for Babri Masjid.
“The Jamiat did not take to the streets over the issue but continued to repose faith in the law of the land. That fight has extended for too long and now 70 years have passed. The matter now is with the SC and we were the first ones to move the apex court. We had the mosque in Ayodhya since 400 years before it was demolished.”
Madani also claimed that JuH’s mediation offer that Muslims will give up the claim on the ‘Ram Chabutra’ provided the Hindu parties give up their claim over the three-dome portion and its courtyard area did not succeed as the Hindu parties refused to budge from their demand.
On NRC, Madani said he was not against the exercise but it is done on discriminatory grounds.
He criticised Home Minister Amit Shah for speaking about citizenship on the basis of religion.